


I Ain't No Chosen One

by HeadStrongHeadLights



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, Character Study, Drabble, Episode Tag, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-10-20 01:41:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10652331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeadStrongHeadLights/pseuds/HeadStrongHeadLights
Summary: Riley is a survivor. She'll do what it takes to survive. Including killing a man, apparently.





	I Ain't No Chosen One

**Author's Note:**

> Because Riley is my bby and I love her so fucking much. And this episode was everything I could've wanted. This isn't the best but I just had to write something. I had to. This episode was so fucking good. Everyone shined. Ugh. I wanted to write more but. Eh. 
> 
> Read. Enjoy. 
> 
> Warnings: language. Lol. Unbetaed.

_Cause I'm working hard at being my own MVP, instead of feeling lucky just to have made the team.~_  


Riley is a survivor. She's had to be. 

She knows this. She knows that Matty knows it. But she really had to wonder if Mac and Jack realized it yet or not. They say that they do but she doesn't quite believe it. 

At this moment though, she's wondering if she really is. That tiny bit of self-doubt is slowing her down. It's always slowed her down. 

But she keeps fighting. Like a dog in a fight for the last sad piece of meat. Life or death. 

She's got people counting on her. Lives, worth more than hers, hanging in the balance. She's got Jack and Mac to think about. She's got Bozer. 

Riley has him pinned, legs cutting off his air supply. Trying desperately to not get shot or lose her grip. He gets in a lucky hit. She tries to hold on but he still gets free, knocking her off like she was an insect. 

Fear courses through her, like its her first day of prison all over again. Smaller, weaker, massive fucking target on her back. Like a timid bunny, someone told her once. 

(It's always been that way. Before and after Jack came into her life. Her mom never did have the best taste in men. It could've been worse, it also could've been a whole lot better.)

It was what she taught her, necessary skills to keep herself safe. Yeah, Riley could fight, but it was Thornton who sharpened her style. Who made it into something that would even the playing field, tip the odds into her favor. 

She tackles him again, grabbing for the gun. Thornton was right about one thing; no amount of training could prepare you for the real thing. For a real life or death fight. Regardless, still pretty fucking grateful for all the lessons. 

Adrenaline pumped through her veins as he got on her back and she couldn't push him off. The gun is under her chin. She's pushing as hard as she can. It doesn't feel like enough. It's not enough. She doesn't want to die like this. She can't. They still need her. She wraps her hand around his and pushes up. 

The gun fires. 

For the briefest seconds, she waits for the pain. For the white light everyone talks about. But reality catches up. It's not her blood on her chest. 

Her stomach rolls. 

It's her finger on the trigger. 

She feels sick. 

She can finally shove him off. Her hands won't stop shaking. Jack and Mac are there, though she can barely hear them over the rushing of blood in her ears. 

She sends them off and gets to work. Tells herself that she can breakdown later when everyone is safe. She's a survivor. She's going to keep surviving one way or another. Now though, she makes sure that everyone keeps surviving with her.

**Author's Note:**

> Title and song lyrics from "Sealed to Me" by Brand New. Because fuck it I guess. Any mistakes let me know. Like I said I love Riley with everything I have. This isn't totally true to canon but close enough. Artistic liberties and all that.


End file.
